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Top Accomplishments, 2019-2020 Annual GRN Report

Engaging with Ohio leaders, including members of the Ohio General Assembly, to advocate for higher education and share their research, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities, marked 2019-2020 for Miami’s Government Relations Network (GRN). These interactions helped advance Ohio’s top priorities - health care, entrepreneurship, data analytics, addiction and wellness, gerontology, water resources, education, engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, geology, fine arts, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

  • The GRN conducted more than 120 Statehouse meetings during the year between Miami University faculty and members of the Ohio General Assembly for faculty to convey their expertise in Ohio’s high-priority areas. Areas included health care & clinical science, data analytics, entrepreneurship, computer science, cybersecurity, addiction & wellness, fine arts, and water resources.
  • GRN students advocated directly with state, federal and local officials more than 600 times in 2019-2020, including more than 160 times in meetings conducted solely by students.
  • The GRN successfully advocated for the Miami Regionals work+ program, including a statehouse press conference with President Crawford and legislative co-sponsors, testimony before House and Senate committees, and briefings with staff from the Ohio Department of Higher Education. We worked closely with leaders at Miami Regionals to recruit students and companies for the first cohort and to recruit additional partner companies.
  • The GRN successfully highlighted Miami’s nationally ranked entrepreneurship department during the Statehouse “Takeover Day” and press conference in October 2019. The day included more than 100 Miamians - 70 undergraduate students, five graduate students, three alumni, and 26 faculty and staff - meeting with more than 120 state leaders and members of the Ohio General Assembly to advocate for Miami University and higher education.
  • The GRN facilitated President Crawford’s leadership role in the Inter-University Council of Ohio (IUC), including on the executive team. The role produced numerous public appearances that enhanced Miami’s profile, including the work+ program, the College2Careers initiative, the Butler County Workforce Solutions Summit 2.0 and the Governor’s Statewide Trustee Conference.
  • The GRN led creation of the Student Advisory Committee on Inclusive Excellence (SACIE) to create a diverse and welcoming community for all students. We implemented an intentional and comprehensive approach to inclusive excellence for the GRN and the larger stakeholder community.
  • The GRN hosted the GRN Immersion Program held in Washington, DC. Some 40 students primarily from underrepresented populations conduct higher education advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill, hear from professionals engaged in and around government, and tour historic sites and area law schools.
  • Randi Thomas, director of the GRN, was appointed to serve on the Oxford Community Improvement Corporation and the Talawanda City School Board Finance Advisory Committee. 
  • The GRN worked with President Crawford to develop the College@Elm TECH Initiative focused on recruiting businesses to Miami and Oxford. We arranged for the president to testify before the Innovation and Workforce Development subcommittee of the House Committee on Small Business, conducted more than 50 Congressional meetings on the College@Elm TECH Initiative, and hosted on-campus tours of the facility legislators, companies and other stakeholders.
  • Along with President Crawford, the GRN led advocacy efforts for Miami’s state capital funding request, including funds for the Clinical Health Sciences building construction, including briefing the governor and his staff and joining two students engaged in undergraduate health-care research to present Miami’s vision and plans to key capital budget decision makers.
  • The GRN led development of The Neighborhood, a collaboration between Bridges Scholars, the Government Relations Network, and Career Clusters. Aimed at facilitating student participation in undergraduate research, internships, and study abroad/away opportunities, The Neighborhood exposes its residents to the resources available at Miami University. It seeks to develop leadership, ethical, and networking skills in all of its residents. During 2019-2020, the GRN improved student engagement in its living-learning community to 100% for first-year students and 85% for returning sophomores.
  • The GRN held a poster session at the Ohio Statehouse where students presented their undergraduate research, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities to public officials and staff members.
  • The GRN held a Statehouse press conference where President Crawford introduced students from Associated Student Government and the GRN who shared their involvement in research, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities at Miami University and how these engagements are providing them with the skills necessary to fill Ohio’s future workforce needs.
  • The GRN hosted the GRN Immersion Program in Washington, D.C., including about 40 students primarily from underrepresented populations who participated in advocacy meetings on Capitol Hill and engaged with professionals engaged in and around government.
  • In June 2019, GRN students toured the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • During fall 2019, GRN students assisted in hosting the Freedom 55 conference at the National Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati and presented a session on “What Freedom Summer might look like if it took place today.”
  • GRN members participated in U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown’s annual Propel Ohio Collegiate Leadership Summit in Bowling Green.